Sunday, June 24, 2012

Hi everyone! I just wanted to tell you I will be off on vacation next week for two weeks and I am so excited! We are going to Atlanta, the Bahamas and Los Angeles. Its a big trip because we are flying from Bangkok, Thailand, so its a lonnnng flight which means transit at Narita Airport, Tokyo, which I always love - good food and yummy snacks!

I will be staying at the Reef at the Atlantis in the Bahamas which I am thoroughly looking forward to. I promise I will be back soon with fun stories and great pictures of my trip - in the meantime, here are a few pictures of the Bahamas and the Atlantis to whet your appetites!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Even though I live in the tropics, I am a big enthusiast of scarves. I think my love of scarves stems from my college days back in New York and Boston, where scarves were a necessity to weather the freezing winters. They kept me cozy and warm and safe from the horrid winds and snow! College was such a fun and happy time for me - maybe its a subconscious thing, but even now somehow wearing scarves, even in the 39c heat, seems natural and is so comfortable and cozy!

Nowadays my scarves lean more towards the silk, linen, and light textures so they don't overwhelm me in the hot Bangkok weather, and I always have one in my daily bag "just in case". For the most part, I tend to choose more neutral palettes for my clothes, so my scarves really add spark and colour to every outfit - when it comes to scarves, I go all out with colour, pattern, and texture - the brighter, bigger and bolder the better!

Friday, June 15, 2012

Onto the Macau part of our trip!! Once in a while on our HK trips we like to cross the hydrofoil to Macau and its always great fun. We normally stay at the Venetian Macau, which is a whirlwind of people, shopping, eating, gambling - it's like an amusement park unto itself! But this time we decided to try something a little different and I booked a room at the Four Seasons instead. The reviews on Expedia and Tripadvisor were so complimentary and the hotel is connected to the Venetian through an indoor walkway so the bustling activity was still close by.

When we got to the Four Seasons, I was blown away and couldn't believe it was situated in the center of Macau! The hotel is so discreet and peaceful and has none of that touristy gambling vibe at all. It is luxurious, elegant and quiet which I really liked.

The Four Seasons Macau entrance

All the reception staff were so nice and even though it was only our first time there they were kind enough to upgrade us to a Deluxe Room which was so big and had a nice dining/pantry area. The Guest Relations Manager brought us up to the room and explained everything so carefully and in detail - the service standards are really superb there.

Isn't the room lovely? It was so spacious and the view was wonderful - we saw all the new hotels on the Cotai Strip. I highly reccommend this hotel if you like a little peace and quiet but still want to be close to the casino action - its just a 1 minute stroll to the Venetian, yet the atmosphere here is totally diffferent.

While in Macau of course I had to visit one of my all time favourite eating spots - Lei Garden! There are various branches of Lei Garden in Hong Kong and Kowloon but this time we were so busy we didn't have time to visit any of them. Luckily for me, there is a Lei Garden in the Venetian and I was determined to have my favourite dishes while we were there! They didn't disappoint!

There are many truly delicious dishes at Lei Garden, but two of my can't misses ( and two of the most fattening dishes there too, I'm sure - sigh.... ) are the Honey BBQ Pork and the Crispy Pork. I am embarrassed to admit that I am able to finish one dish of the crispy pork all by myself! It's cut into such convenient little bite size squares and is accompanied by a mustard dipping sauce which gives it a little zing - completely addictive!

After eating so much, we had to burn off all the calories by walking walking walking along the Cotai Strip where the new mall is opening up - so new that many of the shops weren't even open yet. They look like they would be great for shopping once everything opens and there is a vast selection of restaurants - more good food to choose from!

Love the fauna inside the Cotai Strip Mall!

We had such a good time in Macau and being at the Four Seasons was so relaxing - I am looking forward to returning again soon! The new hotels opening up on the Cotai Strip bring new flavour and a new atmosphere to the entire area - its really becoming the Las Vegas of the East. 'Til our next visit!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

I just came back from a few exciting and fun days in Hong Kong and Macau and as usual, all I did there was shop and eat. I love Hong Kong for a quick weekend getaway because its a mere two and half hour flight from Bangkok and its so convenient with so much good food! This time, we stayed at the W Hotel in Kowloon (our first time there) and I have to say I loved it. First off, the location is perfect. It's in Elements Mall so there is plenty of easy access to shopping and good food, and the airport express stops right at Kowloon Station which is right below the mall - soo convenient! Secondly, the hotel itself is so nice - it manages to be both modern and trendy yet the rooms are super comfy and cozy at the same time. For the most part, I just wanted to laze around in the hotel room and didn't even want to leave to go shopping - and that's a first for me!

This is the lift hallway which was designed to look like a library with bookshelves and lamps, with the lift doors in between. It was unique and charming, I couldn't resist taking pictures! Do u see me in the mirror?

Can you spot the lift?

As I said, the room was modern and yet cozy at the same time and our room had stunning views of the harbour. Oh and another very important factor that won my heart - the amenities were from BLISS and were exceptional! I loved the lemony moisturizer and got addicted to the conditioning rinse - totally another bonus. Two thumbs up totally.

You can't see the view from the picture but the window looks out onto the harbour, giving us wonderful views both during the day and at night! Loved it all and can't wait to go back again soon!